2025 Difference-Makers: AAU Edition

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are those players that coaches seek out that can change the entire outlook of every game. They use their versatility to make a positive impact for themselves and their teammates - ultimately resulting in consistent success and achievement. Below are a handful of those players to catch heading into the summer and their senior campaigns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2416992,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2355321' first='Antonio' last='Shannon']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Allen High","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='2385486' first='Second' last='2 None']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Antonio is a walking bucket with a well-rounded, versatile skill set. He's brimming with competitive energy, and he does a wonderful job of channeling that into his game on both ends of the floor. He's quick off the dribble and appears to be absolutely exhausting to guard and game plan against. He combines his elite ballhandling with the impressive ability to read the floor and adjust to what the defense gives him on the fly. Opposing coaches circle his name when they see his team coming up on the schedule. He treats every game like it's a one and done scenario - you won't see Shannon taking plays off. He's a great defender and can hold his own against skilled opposing guards. He's got quick hands and can predict where the ball is going next, which allows him to jump into opposing passing lanes and lead the fast break to the other end for an easy deuce. He has a twin brother who also plays, Antoine, and they're a FORCE together and independently. They both put in the work and they aren't afraid of doing so and committing to what that takes. Antonio will continue to make lots of noise playing into the summer and he's going to be a STRONG senior next year.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":2416997,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2467577' first='Tomas' last='Bruzoni']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'7u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"77245","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"St. Michael's Catholic Academy","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"Unbreakable UA Rise","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Bruzoni is fantastic at spreading the floor for his team and getting out there and setting the right tone from the jump. He's a skilled shooter, but he's also not afraid to body anyone in the paint and finish through contact. If you fall for his pump fake, kiss your chances goodbye because he can quickly drive right past you for a high-percentage bucket in the lane. He moves incredibly well without the ball and reads the defense accurately with his exceptional court vision. He uses that vision to predict passing lanes on defense and impressively uses his length to alter his opponent's shots and rack up blocks in the key. His game is one of the most well-rounded I've seen and he can make an impact in so many different ways for his team. His frame is nearly college ready and he's talented enough to compete on that level today. He doesn't shy away from the work it takes to consistently get better, so I expect him to turn a lot of heads this summer and to have a BIG senior season next year.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":2416983,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Kevin Waddell Jr.","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Grand Oak High","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"Houston Wolves","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I love the way Kevin plays. He's impressively skilled on the offensive end, but he puts in just as much work and hustle defensively and it makes a significant impact for any team he's on. He has the ability to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting and he knows how to put himself in the right place at the right time for high-percentage shot opportunities. He's the type of guard that doesn't shy away from the paint in the least and will rack up boards on both ends and fill up the stat sheet every game. He has a MEAN Euro step and is incredibly effective at finishing on the break. He possesses a high basketball IQ and most importantly, he's patient on both ends of the floor - he doesn't rush into bad shots and he doesn't fall for pump fakes or his opponent's toughest crossover. He already moves around the floor like a skilled college player and he's only going to get better and better from here. Looking forward to seeing him dominate the summer heading into what should be a stellar senior campaign.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":2417006,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2358850' first='Noah' last='Mallory']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Wylie High","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='2385486' first='Second' last='2 None']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Noah is big, fast, and a nightmare to guard. His defenders hear they've been beat before they see it - he uses his ability to elevate on his shots and his incredibly quick release to have the ball swishing through the net often before his defender can even turn his head around. Mallory can absolutely knock down shots whether he's spotting up or creating for himself off the dribble. He's a fantastic passer and seems to see the court at a speed a few seconds quicker than everyone else on the floor. He's impressive at finding streaking teammates on the break for easy buckets and heaving full court passes with laser-like accuracy when the opposing defense falls asleep. Noah doesn't back down from anyone and he uses his length to clean the glass and send his opponent's shots into the bleachers on the defensive end. He's extremely difficult to game plan against because of his versatility - he moves well without the ball, he's an excellent shooter, an elite ballhandler, a smart passer, and he can go either direction and finish through contact. Mallory has star potential and will continue to be one to watch heading into this summer and his senior year.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":2417022,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Krish Patel","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Frisco High","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"Unbreakable UA Rise","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Patel's court vision is off the charts and so fun to watch. He has the ability to identify pencil-thin passing lanes and execute consistently. He's the type of guard that makes his teammates better with every single play he makes. He has a lightning-speed crossover that he uses to create space and then quickly make decisions to identify whether a teammate has the best shot or if he's the one in pole position. He's vocal on the floor and knows how to effectively lead his squad marching down the floor. He is always moving and rarely stands in one spot which puts him in position to rack up boards and give his team second and third-chance opportunities, which comes up huge and can ultimately be the difference in the game. When opposing defenses have had enough and start to double him - he dribbles out of traps seamlessly and makes it look easy - finding his open teammate for the finish. Krish is the definition of a difference-maker and is a coach's dream to have on any team because of how effectively he elevates himself and everyone around him.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66229864b295b"} /-->